2011 high school football preview: Brophy

by Richard Obert - Aug. 24, 2011 11:55 PMThe Arizona Republic

Phoenix Brophy Prep football coach Scooter Molander never had a season like last year with injuries and youth and moving pieces around. And yet his resilient bunch was a field goal away from advancing to the Class 5A Division I semifinals.

Molander feels better now. The super sophomores are a year older, bigger, stronger, wiser. And he's got his quarterback back.

Junior Tyler Bruggman said the only residual affect from the Oct. 14 freak injury to his ankle only comes when he's rolling out. It gets a little stiff, he said.

"But it should be OK by the beginning of the season," the 6-foot-1, 185-pound, quarterback said.

Brophy is counting on Bruggman to be back, better than ever, to lead a junior-loaded team that features one of the state's top receivers and sprinters in Devon Allen, who, as a sophomore, had 917 receiving yards.

Bruggman's return means Fred Gammage can go back to receiver. Gammage filled in for Bruggman to direct the offense after his injury last season. The Broncos ended up 6-6, not a great year by Molander's standards. But none the less, it was a huge success, considering the adversity and youth.

"We had upwards to 11 to 12 sophomores get significant playing time, if not start," Molander said.

Bruggman inherited the position after incumbent Chase Knox moved to San Diego just before the season's start last year.

Another quarterback had transferred to Mesa Red Mountain. Another moved to defense, but suffered a season-ending injury. Bruggman was basically without a backup. Gammage had experience at quarterback from his elementary school days.

Bruggman's injury, a broken ankle, came during a walk-through the day before Brophy was to play Mesa.

"For him to step in on one day's notice, he really stepped up," Bruggman said of Gammage. "That was huge."

Bruggman had surgery Oct. 19. It wasn't until January that he started to come back. He was throwing footballs in walking boot. This summer, he tested it during 7-on-7 passing league tournaments.

"It's progressing great," Molander said. "He had a really good summer throwing the ball. We played well. Our timing in the passing game is good so far."

Bruggman, who threw for 1,304 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games last season, has excellent skill-position players around him, but he'll have an inexperience offensive line, for the most part. Only two starters return to the line. But Bruggman has faith his line will jell and he'll be well protected to make a run at a Division I state championship.

"We've made a lot of progress this summer," Bruggman said. "There's some talk about what a good (junior) class we have. We haven't done anything yet. We've got a big season ahead of us."

Bruggman has the motivation to return strong from the injury, and receiving his first college scholarship offer, from Colorado State, Molander's alma mater. Allen also verbally received an offer from Colorado State.

"I was surprised (by the offer)," Bruggman said. "It was motivation. My teammates, they make me look good out there."